Wall of interlocked blocks



- T. C. RAMIREZ WALL OF INTERLOCKED BLOCKS May 5, 195? Filed April 16. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 70/14/45 0/4 V52 fiend/(2 BY WW ATTORNEY May 5, 1959 I c.- RAMIREZ WALL OF INTERLOCKED BLOCKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16, 1954 INVENTOR 7041 45 "CH/4145.7 fl/W/MZ I ATTORNEY May 5, 1959 T. c. RAMIREZ 2,334,780

WALL OF INTERLOCKED BLOCKS Filed April 16, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i 9) ii INVENTOR BY 7 WV ATTORNEY United States Patent WALL F INTERLOCKED BLOCKS Tomas Chavez Ramirez, Mexico City, Mexico Application April 16, 1954, Serial No. 423,813

Claims priority, application Mexico September 22, 1953 2 Claims. (Cl, 72-38) This: invention relates in general to block-like building elements having a front side provided with a predetermined surface and a rear side provided with. dovetail-like flange means for cooperating with similar flange means on other elements arranged back to back there- 'with in interlocking relation and more particularly has reference to building elements of such type provided with portions of a thickness equal to that of a pair of elements arranged back to back in interlocking relation for providing a finished unbroken edge portion to an assemblage of interlocked. elements.

As set forth in my Mexican Patent No. 49,071 of June 22, 1948, walls, panels, partitions and similar constructions are formed by a plurality of block-like building elements each having a front side provided with a predetermined surface and a rear side having a pair of spaced flanges projecting therefrom and extending along the side edges of the element throughout its length. The flanges are symmetrical and vary in width increasing from the ends of the element toward the center thereof. The outside edge surfaces of the flanges form continuations of the sidesof said elements and the inside edge surfacesare inclined towards each other from the body of the element towards the extremities of the flanges. Building elements so constructed are assembled in two back to back layers with the, flanges of one element of one layer cooperating and interlocking with the flanges of four elements of the other layer. In such an assemblage, the elements of one layer are staggered in two transverse directions with respect to the elements of the other layer. This necessitates the use of fillers in one layer to make that layer coextensive with the other layer which is often undesirable.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide block-like building elements which will avoid the above pointed out disadvantages.

Another object of this invention is to provide a building element of block-like form for cooperation with interlocking block-like elements which are arranged in a plurality of layersin staggered relationship to each other to form a wall, partition or similar construction in which both layers are co-extensive with each other.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a. building element of block-like form having flanges for interlocking with flanges of other building elements, which are assembled in two back to back layers in interlocking relationship, to make one layer co-extensive with the other.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a block-like building element having channel forming grooves therein for providing passages in a wall assembled from the elements, to accommodate utility conduits.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter in the description of the invention in conjunction with the annexed drawings.

In the-drawings:

'. Figure 1 is a perspectiveyiew ofma. building elementa ice according to my aforesaid Mexican patent with which the elements of the present invention cooperate;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a portion of a wall formed with building elements according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is another perspective view of a wall showing filling elements inserted in the edge of one layer of the building elements according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a portion of a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one form of building element according to the present invention;

Fig. 6 is another perspective view of the element shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a wall embodying the building elements of Fig. 1 in conjunction with those of Figs. 5 and 6;

Fig. 8 is a portion of a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of building element according to the present invention;

Fig. 10 is another perspective view of the building element shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a wall formed of the building elements as shown in Fig. 1 in conjunction with the building elements shown in Figs. 8 and 9;

Fig. 12 is a portion of a sectional view taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the building elements disclosed in' my Mexican Patent No. 49,071 of June 22, 1948 each comprise a body portion 1 having a front surface 2 and a rear surface 3. Extending from the rear surface adjacent each side edge thereof are fianges 4 and 5. It will be noted that the outer edge surface 6 of each flange is co-extensive with the side edge 7 of the body portion 1 of the element. It should also be noted that the width or distance between the inner edge surface 8 of the flanges and the outer edge surfaces 6 thereof varies so that the width increases from each end of the flange toward the middle portion thereof. In addition, it will be noted that the inner edge surfacesS of each flange are inclined toward each other away from the body 1. This construction provides a dovetail-like slot between the two flanges 4 and 5.

The flanges 4 and 5 are of such a width and the spacing between the flanges is such that the adjacent'flanges of two elements placed side by side may be received 1n the space as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing.

As diagrammatically shown in Figure. 2, the blocklike building elements 1 are assembled in two layers 9 and 10 arranged back to back with one flange of each of four elements in one layer of the wall lying between and cooperating with the flanges of one block inthe other layer of the wall so that all of the blocks in one layer are interlocked with the blocks in the other layer. By so assembling the block-like building elements, it will be found that the blocks of one layer are staggeredwith respect to the blocks of the other layer (see Fig. 2) so that one block of one layer partially over-lies four blocks of the other layer. This construction has the disadvantage in that the peripheral edges of one layer are not. coextensive with the peripheral edges of theother layer, as indicated in Fig. 2. This disadvantage makes. it necessary to incorporate filler blocks 11 or other. types of filler at the edge of one layer 9 so as to make it COfGX' tensive with the other layer 10, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The above pointed out disadvantage can be. overcome according to the present invention by utiliziug'block-like building elements such as 7 and 8. enables electrical and plumbing lines and conduits to be shown in Figures and 6 of the drawings. As illustrated, the edge block shown in Figs. 5 and 6 comprises a body portion 1a having a front surface-2a and a rear*surface 3a.- Extending from the rear surface 3a adjacent one side edge-7a is a flange 4a.

.The outside edge 6a of the flange 4a is co-extensive with the side edge 7a of the body 1a. Actually, the flange 4a is identical to the flange 4 of the building element shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Extending from the rear surface 3a .of the element 1a adjacent the other sideedge-is a flange 12 which has .arear rectangular surface 13. It will be noted that the flange 12 extends beyond the rear surface of the flange of the width of the block-like elements 1 and 1a and also equal to the distance between the edges of layers 9 and 10 (Figs. 5, 7 and 8). If an element of a width greater or lesser than the width of elements 1 is used,

, the width of flange 12 may vary provided the edge of the layers 9 and 10 are covered as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The distance between the surface 14 of flange 12 and the side edge surface 6a, 7a should, however, be equal to one half the width of elements 1 and equal to the distance between the edges of layers 9 and 10.

The elements 1a of Figures 5 and 6 are assembled with the elements 1 shown in Figure 1 of the drawings as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings, with the flange 4a thereof cooperating with one of the flanges 4 and 5 of two building elements 1. It will be noted that the flange 12 is of such a depth that the composite side edge surface 7a, 12a of the element of Figs. 5 and 6 is of a dimension equal to the thickness of two body portions '1, la plus the depth of one of the flanges 4,

, layers 9, 10.

The building elements shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in addition to providing a finished facing suitable for the jambs, lintels and stanchions of doorways, window openings and the like, also provide a channel 16. This channel is formed by aligning the grooves 15 as indicated in Figs. Such a channel is highly desirable since it incorporated in the wall without breaking or in any way damaging any of the building elements.

A modified form of auxiliary block-like building element is shown in Figs. 9 and 10. This element differs from that of Figs. 5 and 6 in that whereas the block or element of Figs. 5 and 6 has one longitudinal half thereof (the half containing all of the flange 4a) formed identical to a longitudinal one half of the block or element of Figs. 1 and 2, the block of Figs. 9 and 10 has one transverse half thereof formed identical to one transverse half of the element of Figs. 1 and 2, when divided by a plane passing through element 1 midway between the ends thereof.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the block-like element is formed of a body 1b of a length, breadth and thickness corresponding to the bodies 1 and 1a of Figs. 1, 2, and 5, 6. One transverse half of block 1b is provided with flanges 4b and 5b extending from the rear surface 3b thereof identical to one half of block 1 of Figs. 1 and 2.

flanges of elements 1 of one layer of a wall as shown in Fig. 12.

The other half of the block-like element 1b has a lug 17 projecting from the rear surface thereof in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped 17. Lug 17 is integral with body 1b so that one half of element 1b is in the form of a rectangular block. It will be noted that the thickness of block 1b at the end containing the lug 17 is equal to the sum of the thickness of the flange 4b plus twice the thickness of the body 1b, which is equal to the thickness of the wall consisting of the two interlocked layers 9 and 10.

The block-like elements 1b of Figs. 9 and 10 are incorporated in a wall as shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13. This enables the top and bottom portions of the wall formed of layers 9 and 10 to be finished in both layers so that each layer is coextensive with the other. While only one horizontal row of blocks 1 in layer 9 has been shown in Fig. 11, it should be understood that any desired number of rows or courses may be used-in both layers.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the present invention provides auxiliary block-like building elements such as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and 9 and 10 for association with building elements of Figs. 1 and 2 in completing the vertical and horizontal edges of walls formed of interlocked layers of the blocks of Figs. 1 and 2.

The block-like elements of Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 and 10 may be made of any material meeting the requirements of the assemblage to be constructed. The elements may have smooth or ornamental surfaces and may be of any desired color. 7

While the overlying portion of the blocks shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 9, 10 is approximately equal to one half of the block, this portion of the block may be larger or smaller.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a wall formed of a plurality of blocks each having a pair of spaced flanges projecting from the back thereof, each flange extending the length of the block adjacent the side edge thereof and increasing in width from their end portions toward the middle thereof, said flanges having their inner edge surfaces inclined to form dovetail-like slots between them, said blocks being assembled in two back to back layers with the flanges of four 7 blocks of one layer extending into the space between the 45.

flanges of one block in the other layer and interlocking with its flanges and with the blocks of one layer staggered with respect to the blocks of the other layer so that two adjacent edges of one layer extend beyond the corresponding edges of the other layer, an auxiliary building unit completing an edge of the wall comprising a body, a portion of which has flange means projecting from the rear surface thereof, said flange means having a width which increases from its end portions toward the middle thereof and an inner surface inclined inwardly thereof, said flange means interlocking with at least one flange of a portion of two blocks at the edge of the layer projecting beyond the other layer, and said auxiliary unit having a portion of a thickness equal to the thickness of the wall and overlying the corresponding edge of both layers to provide a finished unbroken edge portion to the assemblage of the interlocked blocks.

2. In a wall formed of a plurality of blocks each having a pair of spaced flanges projecting from the back thereof, each flange extending the length of the block adjacent the side edge thereof and increasing in width from their end portions toward the middle thereof, said flanges having their inner edge surfaces inclined to form dovetaillike slots between them, said blocks being assembled in two back to back layers with the flanges of four blocks of one layer extending into the space between the flanges of one block in the other layer and interlocking with its flanges and with the blocks of one layer staggered with respect to the blocks of the other layer so that two adjacent edges of one layer extend beyond the correspondingedgcs of theother layer,lan auxiliary building unit 2,884,780 I I a 6 completmg an edge of the wall comprising a body, a References Cited in the file of this patent portion of which has a pair of spaced flanges projecting from the rear surface thereof, said flanges each having UNITED STATES PATENTS a width which increases from its end portions toward the 679,746 Grueby Aug. 6, 1901 middle thereof and an inner surface inclined inwardly 5 707 444 Moses Aug 19, 1902 thereof, each flange interlocking with the adjacent flanges 748 603 Hem Jan 5 1904 of a portion of two juxtaposed blocks at the edge of the y layer projecting beyond the other layer, and said auxiliary 1'167746 Funsten 1916 unit having a portion of a thickness equal to the thickness "of the Wall and overlying the corresponding edge 10 FOREIGN PATENTS of both layers to provide a finished unbroken edge portion 1,004,226 France Nov. 28, 1951 to the assemblage of the interlocked blocks. 

